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  "path": "/2026/03/01/three-us-soldiers-killed-iran-retaliates-assassination-ayatollah-27173115/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-01T15:17:42.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "World",
    "Donald Trump",
    "Iran",
    "Iran-Israel conflict",
    "Middle East",
    "United States of America",
    "US",
    "Operation Epic Fury",
    "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei",
    "neighbours in the Middle East",
    "Dubai",
    "Israel",
    "**check our news page**",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "The US amassed an ‘armada’ of military assets in the Gulf before unleashing Operation Epic Fury on Saturday (Picture: AP)\n\nThree US soldiers have been killed in action and five more seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury, the US military has confirmed.\n\nUS Central Command said that several other service personnel had sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions.\n\nIt is not clear how the troops were killed, but Iran has furiously launched drones and missiles at US bases throughout the Middle East following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.\n\nDonald Trump warned in his Saturday morning address that US troops might be killed during the unprecedented military action against Iran\n\nIran has been firing waves of missiles and drones towards its neighbours (Picture: AP)\n\nA drone view of the scene of a fatal Iranian strike in Beit Shemesh, Israel (Picture: REUTERS)\n\nUS CENTCOM said in a statement on X: ‘As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.\n\n‘Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.\n\n‘The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.’\n\nThe Middle East has been hit by a wave of strikes (Picture: Kadri Suat Celik/Anadolu via Getty Images)\n\nThe announcement comes after Iran unleashed a third wave of missile and drone attacks towards its neighbours in the Middle East.\n\nSuicide drones hit Dubai and Bahrain this afternoon, while nine people were killed in a missile strike in the city of Beit Shemesh, central Israel.\n\nThe US and Israel have also pounded Iran capital, Tehran, on Sunday, hitting a major hub for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).\n\nThe Army hospital and several bases of the Basij militia were also hit, according to the official Fars news agency.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,****check our news page**.\n\nComment now Comments  Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source ",
  "title": "Three US soldiers killed after Iran retaliates for assassination of Ayatollah"
}